Our work

The EESC issues between 160 and 190 opinions and information reports a year.

It also organises several annual initiatives and events with a focus on civil society and citizens’ participation such as the Civil Society Prize, the Civil Society Days, the Your Europe, Your Say youth plenary and the ECI Day.

Members & Groups

The EESC brings together representatives from all areas of organised civil society, who give their independent advice on EU policies and legislation. The EESC's 350 Members are organised into three groups: Employers, Workers and Various Interests.

Sections & other bodies

The EESC has six sections, specialising in concrete topics of relevance to the citizens of the European Union, ranging from social to economic affairs, energy, environment, external relations or the internal market.

In November 1995, at the Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Barcelona, foreign affairs ministers of the EU and Mediterranean partner countries concluded a regional partnership, the aim of which was to establish a common area of peace and stability, create an area of shared prosperity, develop human resources, promote understanding between cultures and foster exchanges between civil societies.

The EESC adopted its contribution to the European Commission's 2018 Work Programme on 5 July 2017. In this contribution, the EESC calls on the Commission to adopt sustainable development as an overarching approach to its work programme, with reference to the three "pillars" of sustainability: i) strengthening the economic foundations of Europe; ii) fostering its social dimension; and iii) facilitating the transition towards a low-carbon and circular economy.

Representatives of European organised civil society have put forward their proposals as part of the preparation by the Commission of its 2017 Work Programme. While regretting the result of UK citizens' vote to leave the EU, the EESC asks for a rapid start to the negotiations with the UK in order to respond to the present uncertainty about the future of the EU and it demands to be fully involved in the negotiation process with the UK.

The EESC’s activities in Latin America takes place in the framework of European Union (EU) policy on the region and, more specifically, through the strategic partnership between the EU, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), negotiations on association agreements with Central America, Mexico, Chile and Mercosur, the free trade agreement with Peru and Colombia and the EU-Brazil strategic partnership.

The principal areas of activity of the Section for External Relations (REX) include monitoring relations between the European Union and the countries and regions with which the EU has formal relations, and developing relations with civil society in these countries and regions, particularly in the candidate countries.

In November 1995, at the Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Barcelona, foreign affairs ministers of the EU and Mediterranean partner countries concluded a regional partnership, the aim of which was to establish a common area of peace and stability, create an area of shared prosperity, develop human resources, promote understanding between cultures and foster exchanges between civil societies. The Barcelona process was born and provided the foundation for broader cooperation across the Mediterranean.